clay houses

 Clay houses and churches, made by my middle school students.  They are super simple, and only 4 inches tall, but they make me smile all day long.  They are super cute!  I made several little clay presses, so the kids could make doors and windows in the wet clay, and have some consistency.  This was one of the kids  (and my) favorite projects of the year.  When they were placed in the glass show case outside the principals office, the parents would smile and point at them while the kids explained the process.  You see? That's pure joy in my book!

clay pumpkins

Primary aged students, and even my pre-K students love making clay pumpkins in October.  Their parents and my principal always comment on how cute they are too.  This assignment is quick and easy.  First we made a practice pumpkin using oil clay.

 The next time the kids came to art class they made a "real" clay pumpkin.  The kids looked at some real clay pumpkins from the garden.  We made the ridges using wooden clay tool knives and our fingers.  Popsicle sticks work great too.

I let them dry for a couple of days before firing them.  The next art class the kids glazed them.

gifts

 I don't typically think of art class as a place to create gifts.  I know some people do.  These are the same people who think that elementary art class should be holiday themed.  I couldn't disagree more. However...

 by nature, I'm very generous!  I love making gifts for people, and I know my students do too.

 This year, shortly before Christmas one of my favorite teacher friends gave me a huge basket of pine cones, to do what ever I wanted with them.  I dipped them in red candle wax.

It was a little messy to fill my crock pot with red wax, dip each pine cone individually, and set them out to cool, but they were so pretty when finished.  I screwed in a little eyelet onto each one, in which I added a red ribbon, to be hung on a Christmas tree.  They also make great fire starters for the fire place.

They made  beautiful little gifts.

home

 My classroom really is my home away from home.  I love teaching and spend so much time in my classroom.  My desk is an extension of my handbag.

 It's a bright, cheery, colorful place to want to come and create, for me and the kids.

It's a practical art studio too, where we get very messy and make tons of art.  Being organized and tidy is so helpful!  The kids love to come to a place that's clean, where they always have fun.  They also love to help clean and organize.

clay

 I love working with clay, and so do the kids!

 I have several standards, that I have the kids create every year.

 I keep adding new things too, which is why I like looking at other kids art work, at art shows and art teacher blogs.

Turtles of all types are so fun!  I've done them in so many ways.

prints

Printmaking can be very easy.  Keep the lino-cut block small, and repeat!

These were done with large erasers and colorful markers.

A few lino- cut tools and a safety lesson and 5th to 8th grade kids are ready to go. Boys especially love this assignment because they typically love working with tools.

poppies



Tissue paper collage is one of my favorite projects to do with third and fourth grade artists.  This poppy flower collage is great for spring and/ or veterans day.



The kids really love this project!



It's easy to create with scissors and glue on a paint brush (over and under the tissue.) It always looks beautiful!



My inspiration... The late, great Georgia O'Keefe!